2B — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
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TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020
Pandemic pantry recipe:
Crispy, crunchy fried rice
VEGETARIAN TACOS
By Louisa Chu
Chicago Tribune
When microwaved leftovers
trigger fl ashbacks to sad desk
lunches, but aspirational
coronavirus cooking feels like
too much work, you might
try what’s become my go-to
pandemic pantry nonrecipe for
crispy fried rice.
A hidden golden crust
distinguishes this technique
that’s far easier than even
nontraditional fried rice and
grants you permission to stop
trying to recreate your favorite
restaurant’s dish.
Rice cookers have eliminated
scorched rice, the toasted layer
left behind in a cooking pot.
That is unless it’s created
with intent. Every rice culture
shares a variation, from
Chinese claypot rice to Korean
dolsot bibimbap to Spanish pa-
ella socarrat to prized Persian
tahdig.
A nutty hard bite as satisfy-
ing as a kettle potato chip or
crackling pork rind transforms
leftovers simply layered over
rice. Use a nonstick pan or well-
seasoned cast iron, and enough
oil to barely coat the bottom, a
ratio of about 1 tablespoon oil
to 2 cups cooked rice. Top with
whatever leftovers you have,
and add fresh or frozen ingredi-
ents if you want.
In our heightened waste not,
want not moment, remember
to reward yourself that fi rst
bite of crunchy crust, which
always belongs to the cook.
CRISPY FRIED RICE
WITH ASPARAGUS
AND RADISHES
Prep: 15 to 20 minutes
FISH
Continued from Page 1B
Drain off excess liquid. Re-
turn farro to pan; stir in sliced
green onions and 2 table-
spoons olive oil. Cover and set
aside to stay warm.
3. While farro cooks, put
shallots and wine in a large
nonstick skillet and heat to a
simmer. Cook, stirring often,
until the wine is reduced to
about 2 tablespoons, about
3 minutes. Add chicken broth
and garlic; simmer until re-
duced again to 3 tablespoons,
about 3 minutes. Set aside.
4. Season fi sh on all sides
with salt and pepper. Drizzle
lightly with olive oil.
5. Heat a large nonstick
griddle or well-seasoned
cast-iron griddle or skillet over
medium heat until a drop of
water sizzles on contact. Brush
lightly with canola oil, then
add the fi sh, skin side up in a
single, uncrowded layer. Cook
until fi sh starts to brown and
releases easily from pan, 3 to 4
minutes. Use a silicon spatula
or a very thin metal spatula
to gently fl ip the fi sh skin side
down. Cook until nearly fi rm
when pressed, 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off heat; let fi sh rest on
the griddle while you fi nish the
sauce.
6. Set the skillet with the
Dreamstime /TNS
Vegetarian tacos
Easy to fold,
easier to eat
By Linda Gassenheimer
Tribune News Service
Louisa Chu/Chicago Tribune-TNS
Crispy fried rice is made with leftover rice, frozen peas and window sill scallions, plus
fresh spring asparagus and radishes.
Cook: 15 to 20 minutes
Makes: 3 to 6 servings
3 scallions, greens sliced
thin (save white roots to
regrow in a jar of water
on your window sill)
Butter plus lemon or
white rice vinegar
carefully uncover. Scrape
down any stray rice grains.
Re-cover, then turn heat to me-
dium and cook, about 10 min-
You can use whatever left-
utes. Turn heat down again,
overs you have on hand with
uncover, break up any clumps
this technique, but if you
of rice and check that a crust
want a recipe for inspiration,
1. Soak the radishes to wash is forming underneath. Add a
here’s the dish with spring
ingredients to serve as a side well of sandy soil; separate the little more oil as needed. Add
or main, possibly topped with greens from the red roots. For radish greens, asparagus tips
the asparagus, snap off tough and frozen peas, plus remain-
fried eggs or sauteed nuts.
ing salt and pepper. Re-cover,
bottoms for compost; snap
1 bunch red radishes
spears in half, separate stems then turn heat to medium;
cook, about 5 more minutes.
with green tops, about
from tips.
4. Turn off heat, uncover,
1 pound, halved as
2. In a cold wok, skillet or
add
soy sauce around the
needed to bite size
wide-bottomed saucepan,
edge
of rice, then slide your
1 bunch asparagus,
add oil then swirl to coat. Add
spatula
around the bottom
about 1 pound
rice, then red radish roots
crust.
Garnish
with scallion
3 tablespoons oil
and asparagus stems. Season
greens
and
butter;
season to
6 cups cooked rice, hot or cold with half of the salt and pep-
taste
with
lemon
or
vinegar
1/2 cup frozen peas
per. Cover, then turn heat on
for
bright
acidity.
Serve
di-
1 tablespoon kosher salt
medium high. Cook until you
rectly
from
the
pan,
breaking
1 teaspoon freshly ground
hear sizzling and smell rice
crunchy crust as needed,
black pepper
toasting, about 5 minutes.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3. Turn the heat down, then golden side up.
shallots back over medium
heat. When hot, whisk in the
butter, 1 tablespoon at a time,
just until the butter softens
and melts. When all the butter
has been added, remove from
the heat. Do not let the sauce
boil. Stir in half of the herbs. If
the sauce is very thick, gently
whisk in a tablespoon or two
of hot water or broth. Season
with salt and pepper.
7. Stir the remaining herbs
into the farro. Arrange the
fi sh fi llets on plates, top with
sauce. Serve with farro.
Nutrition information per
serving: 714 calories, 37
g fat, 15 g saturated fat,
141 mg cholesterol, 58 g
carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 40
g protein, 92 mg sodium, 9 g
fi ber
SPAGHETTI WITH
CREAMY CLAM
SAUCE
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
2 cans (6.5 ounces each)
minced clams
About ½ cup chicken broth
or bottled clam juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 shallots or 1 small white
onion, very thinly sliced
Half of a 2-ounce can anchovy
fi llets packed in oil, patted
dry and minced, optional
4 cloves garlic, fi nely chopped
1 cup dry white vermouth
or dry white wine
1 can (4 ounces) fi re-roasted
diced green chiles, optional
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon dried
thyme or oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red
pepper fl akes, optional
¼ teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces spaghetti
or linguine
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan,
plus more for serving
1/3 cup chopped fresh
parsley leaves or 3
tablespoons dried parsley
1. Strain clams in a colander
set over a bowl to catch their
liquid. Measure liquid and
add chicken broth or bottled
clam juice to make 1 cup total.
Reserve liquid and clams
separately.
2. Heat a large pot of salted
water to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil
in a large skillet; add shal-
lots. Cook until golden, about
3 minutes. Stir in anchovies
and garlic; cook, stirring, until
anchovies dissolve, about 1
minute. Stir in vermouth; boil
hard to reduce by half, about 3
minutes.
4. Stir in the reserved broth,
chiles, cream and thyme; boil
hard to reduce slightly, about 4
minutes. Season with pep-
per fl akes and black pepper.
Remove from heat.
5. Add the spaghetti to the
boiling water. Cook, stirring
often, until pasta is al dente,
about 8 minutes.
6. Stir reserved clams into
the skillet; heat mixture until
hot. Drain the pasta; return it
to the pot. Add the clam sauce,
cheese and parsley. Toss to
coat pasta with sauce. Serve
with extra cheese.
Wrapped with corn or fl our tortillas or even lettuce
leaves, tacos have become a national favorite. Whether
for breakfast, lunch or dinner they’re easy to eat and
can be easy to make. Here’s a vegetarian taco made
with soft whole wheat tortillas. They fold easily and
add an earthy fl avor to the taco.
HELPFUL HINTS
Any type of canned beans can be used. Be sure to
drain them well.
Any type of onion can be used.
Any type of fl our tortilla can be used.
A quick way to defrost corn kernels is to place them
in a colander and run hot water over them.
COUNTDOWN
Make Avocado Salad and set aside.
Make Vegetable Taco.
SHOPPING LIST
To buy: 1 red onion, 2 small avocados, 1 package
shredded lettuce, 1 package frozen corn kernels, 1
can reduced-sodium black beans, 1 jar mild salsa, 1
package reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, 1 carton
reduced-fat sour cream, 1 package 8-inch lite whole
wheat tortillas, 1 bottle reduced-fat oil and vinegar
dressing and 1 can vegetable oil spray.
See Tacos/Page 3B
TREE
FACT:
Always
FREE Estimates
3110 10th Street,
Baker City
Trees are able to communicate
and defend themselves against
attacking insects. Scientists have
found that trees can flood their
leaves with chemicals called
phenolics when the insects begin
their raid. They can also signal
danger to other trees so they can
start their own defense.
Nutrition information per
serving: 390 calories, 14
g fat, 5 g saturated fat,
28 mg cholesterol, 49 g
carbohydrates, 2 g sugar, 15
g protein, 800 mg sodium, 3
g fi ber
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